how do you know if bike is running lean?

This is a discussion on how do you know if bike is running lean? within the Z1K/Z750 Maintenance forums, part of the Kawasaki Z1000, Ninja 1000, Z750 & Z-750S category; Here is one for you how do you know if bike is running lean or not without getting the dyno test done? I have cut ...

how do you know if bike is running lean?

Here is one for you how do you know if bike is running lean or not without getting the dyno test done? I have cut my stock pipes 5 inches sounds good rode a few hundred miles no problems I have been reading post where they took out the baffles completely and there bike runs bad. Next step is to put a k and n filter in.

An exhaust gas analyzer is the only true way to know. One can look at spark plug color and throttle responce and get in the ball park. The inner two plugs are a pain to get to but if the plugs look like the have alot of white ash on them then the engine is too lean. If the are charcol black then the engine is too rich. Your plugs should be sort of a chocolate milk color.

This is hardly scientific but will get you in the ball park. If you give the bike throttle and it pulls hard up to a certain rpm and then you back off at that rpm and the bike feels like it goes faster for a split second before slowing down, then its running lean.

The closest you will get without an oxygen sensor though is reading the plugs as has been said.

Crazi described the top end test nicely other than you want to roll off from full throttle SLOWLY to feel the surge. If it's going to happen it'll happen over the first 5 or so degrees of travel on the grip. That's only a little so be sensitive to it.

At cruise settings and rpm's in the 3000 range if the bike sort of surges and sags in a repetitive way about once every 1/2 to 1 second that's a sign that it's lean on the idle and low opening region.

The re-emergence of the nakeds has started and one day soon true men will be proud to show their naked engines to the world once again without shame or ridicule. Free from the persecution of the heathen element that would clothe the honesty of real metal behind the false promises of plastic.

Question on bike running lean

Thanks looks like it is okay. I contacted speedworks they had a good price for a pc and here is the email they sent me. Nice honest people not just trying to make a $ I had sent them a email telling them I cut my pipes down 5 inches and might remove the cat here is there response

That being said ... what you're doing / have done to your bike really
doesn't warrant purchasing or installing one. It won't make any
noticeable difference in performance. You *might* be able to eek out an
additional 2hp - 3hp installing a power commander and having someone
spend an hour on a dyno tuning it, but that's really going to be about
it. Same thing with installing a slip-on exhaust. You really only need
to use a PC when installing an aftermarket full exhaust system, as there
you're changing the exhaust flow enough to make a difference in terms of
fuel-injection mapping.

I have to call BS on this in the Z's case. I did the airbox mod and added slightly choked down Muzzy slipons and it was very noticably lean. It was fully ridable but adding the PCIII and even the generic Muzzy slipon map made a world of difference to the smoothness and mid range pickup. I only visit the redline on this bike once in a blue moon but I practically live in the 4000 to 9000 range when looking for some pizzaz. And it's there that the PC III came to the rescue in a big way.

The re-emergence of the nakeds has started and one day soon true men will be proud to show their naked engines to the world once again without shame or ridicule. Free from the persecution of the heathen element that would clothe the honesty of real metal behind the false promises of plastic.

+3 on this one... The bike's stock map is optimized for emissions and general ridability. When you start modding for power, you need a way to add or remove fuel from different areas. Even just for smoothing things out, the PC is worth the money if you ride at a moderate to fast pace. If your riding style has you doing more cruising than carving, then I would agree about not needing a PC.

Has this shop ever seen a Z1000? Are they familiar with the stock pipes configuration and weight? Going to a 4 into 1 will remove enough weight to make the bike handle differently and the exhaust flow will be enough to require a change in mapping if you want your bike running its best.

Exhaust gas analizer, exhaust gas teperature guage, detonation sensor. But it all depends what rpm you are looking at. Bikes will run different at different throttle settings and rpm. Lean on bottom rich on top or whatever. Run some race gas and do some plug chops at different throttle and RPM settings. Dont even waste your time trying to read plugs on pump gas it all burns black.

Exhaust gas analizer, exhaust gas teperature guage, detonation sensor. But it all depends what rpm you are looking at. Bikes will run different at different throttle settings and rpm. Lean on bottom rich on top or whatever. Run some race gas and do some plug chops at different throttle and RPM settings. Dont even waste your time trying to read plugs on pump gas it all burns black.

It is true that bikes will run differently at different throttle settings and rpm's which is how the PC is programed, 5 throttle settings and 250 rpm incriments.

Unfortunately not everyone here can afford some race gas, plus if you go too high of an octane it will actually hurt performance. You can read plugs on pump gas and you can even fine tune things a little just by looking at the plugs. The deeper you look into the plugs the higher the revs you are looking.